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Pieces of Our Lives
My family and I are sharing pieces of our families daily lives in the hope to inspire you and share with you that small changes everyday can make the biggest differences. You don't have to go to extremes to become healthy.Tue, 03 Mar 2015 15:48:26 +0000en-UShourly1http://pepperscraps.comhttp://pepperscraps.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/Pepper-Scraps-Pieces-of-our-Lives.pngPepper ScrapsSubscribe with My Yahoo!Subscribe with BloglinesSubscribe with NetvibesSubscribe with My AOLSubscribe with PageflakesSubscribe with GoogleSubscribe with NewsGatorMy family and I are sharing pieces of our families daily lives in the hope to inspire you and share with you that small changes everyday can make the biggest differences. You don't have to go to extremes to become healthy.Split Pea Soup in the Crock Pothttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/PepperScraps/~3/rSgaJZkGVbw/
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Split Pea Soup brings back warm memories from my childhood. The memories are warm and comforting, just like this recipe. Every so often I enjoy making this soup and my favorite way of making it is in the crock pot. It’s so easy and fills the house with warm, delicious smells.

Stories from Split Pea Soup

The memories I have are sitting with my mom as she talked about how this soup was my grandfather’s favorite soup. She told me about sitting at a small cafe in a small town eating warm split pea. She shared this with me when I was small as we sat in a small cafe in a small town while we ate split pea soup. So now whenever I have split pea soup I think of them.

One of the best ways to build a habit is to do it for 30 days straight. In January we had the 30 day Water Challenge. This month we will be focusing on getting moving with the 30 day Get Moving Challenge. The 30 day Get Moving Challenge is more than just a 30 day fitness challenge, it’s a challenge that anyone at any fitness level can do. The 30 Day Get Moving Challenge is really all about getting active!

Why I’m Doing the 30 Day Get Moving Challenge

As I’ve switched to being a work at home mom I have found that I rarely get the activity that I need. My goal is to start making sure that I’m active at least 20 minutes everyday. 20 minutes may not seem like a lot, but I’m starting out slow and going to build from there.

What is the 30 Day Get Moving Challenge?

The 30 day Get Moving Challenge is a challenge you can build how you want to. You make your goal that you want to achieve every day. You can do cardio, strength training or just go for a walk. But the idea is to add some activity to each day for the 30 days.

You can measure by steps and use your favorite pedometer or you can measure it by minutes and do scheduled workouts. You tell us what your goals are and we will cheer you on!

This challenge is great because you can change it to your activity level and your skills. Disclaimer: Always check with your doctor before starting this or any new exercise routine.

Please Share the Challenge with Others

Feel free and download the banner above. Or use the button below and link it back to this page! The more who join the more fun it will be. Invite your friends so they can help you stay accountable!

Free Printable Tracking Sheet

If you would like a nice tracking sheet, I created this PDF for you to print! You may notice that it has two sheets on one! Because having someone doing it with you is a huge motivation so invite your friend to join you!

March 2nd is Dr Seuss’ birthday and to celebrate the boys and I are doing lots of fun Dr Seuss activities. Today they are taking a fun Dr Seuss Bento Lunch to school. This was a really fun bento to make as I pulled different ideas from different books.

We are on week 2 of being sick, it started with colds and has now moved onto a nasty stomach bug going through the house! Meal planning is very hard when you are exhausted, but I’m trying to make it through. Also with the end of the month my schedule gets crammed with work calls to finish up billing for the month so it is crazy busy this month.

I love sharing my meals of the week with my YouTube followers (you should become one) and I thought I should be sharing them with the Pepper Scraps readers as well! I’m still getting back into the habit of capturing my meals of the week, so this isn’t my best video. But I wanted to start getting back into the habit and wanted to start sharing.

Next Week’s Meal Plan

With this week already packed to the brim with things to get done, preparing food is going to be the furthest thing I will want to do by the end of the day. This week’s meal plan is all about convenience again.

You will also notice that I stopped on Friday for this week’s menu plan it’s because we have something special happening next week!!

One of the most requested meals in our house is peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. I always try and find the best options for jams and jellies at the store. Watching for high fructose corn syrup and checking sugar content. I’ve made strawberry freezer jam before, but I wanted to try something new that’s why I decided to try making Strawberry Chia Seed Jam.

About Chia Seeds

I have been really working on increasing healthy fatty acids, like omega 3, in the boys’ diets. Chia seeds are a great way of adding more Omega-3 to your food. Chia seeds are also a great thickener, that’s what makes them perfect for this recipe.

This Recipe is So Easy

This is such an easy recipe! You only need a few ingredients that you just mix together and set in the fridge! No cooking just and only an hour to set!

You can use either fresh fruit or frozen fruit, whatever you have available. If you do use frozen fruit make sure and read the nutrition facts to make sure the fruit is unsweetened.

February is American Heart Health Month. Oats and oatmeal are one of best ways to add a little heart health to your day. Oatmeal is full of fiber, omega-3 fatty acids, folate, and potassium. Oatmeal can help lower your LDL cholesterol (or bad cholesterol) levels. Here is 25 great recipes including oats to add some wonderful heart healthy breakfasts (and more!) to your meal plan.

Morning are very hectic in our house. The boys have gotten to the point they whine when we wake them for school. Once they get going they are fine. I am hoping that these fun, yummy chocolate peanut butter cup overnight oats may encourage them out of beds in the morning.

Overnight oats have been a staple in our house for three years. The boys love them. I usually make fruity overnight oats, but this time I wanted to make something fun. This breakfast may look like a treat but it’s actually filled with protein and fiber as well.

I was so excited that I was able to finally pick up some jars for our overnight oats. I love making the Overnight Oats in Disposable Cups but I usually only made those when we needed extra convenient breakfasts. Now I can make over night oats any time I wish and have the jars ready in the fridge for the boys to grab in the mornings.

]]>http://PepperScraps.com/chocolate-peanut-butter-cup-overnight-oats-with-video/feed/0http://PepperScraps.com/chocolate-peanut-butter-cup-overnight-oats-with-video/Smile a Little Brighter and Whiterhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/PepperScraps/~3/Gawe3gH4kB0/
http://PepperScraps.com/smile-a-little-brighter-and-whiter/#commentsWed, 18 Feb 2015 21:29:14 +0000http://PepperScraps.com/?p=9342This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #OpticSmiles #CollectiveBias

The #LoveMe challenge for Monday was to share something that you like about yourself. My answer was my smile. My smile may not be perfect or straight, but I have learned to love it. I’m excited that I get to share more about my smile and making it a little whiter with Colgate® Optic White® Express White toothpaste in just three days.

My Not So Straight Smile

I have learned to love my imperfect smile. My smile is a reminder of my childhood to me. A reminder of growing up with a single mom and all the work that she did to raise me on her own. A reminder that my teeth were straight enough that I didn’t really need braces. A reminder that I can smile a little brighter because those teeth show off a little bit of my story in every smile.

Smile a Little Whiter

As I have started working at home more I have found I’m drinking more coffee and it is taking a toll on my smile. I’ve been noticing that my teeth are getting a little more yellow. I was excited to try out Colgate® Optic White® Express toothpaste to see if it could help my smile become a little brighter and whiter.

What I liked was that you get whiter teeth in just 3 days, just by brushing. I was interested to find out that Optic White® Express White has 2 times more of the professionally recommended whitening ingredient (vs. Optic White Sparkling Mint TP).

We went to our local Walmart to find the Colgate® Optic White® Express White display and pick up some to try. If you are curious about Colgate® Optic White® Express White toothpaste there will also be a demo in 550 stores on 2/28/15. See if it is coming to your local Walmart. Make sure and ask for your $1 off coupon!

If you want to just try out it or if you want both you and your spouse to share it you can get it in 3 sizes: 3oz & 4.5oz are now available, and the 1.45oz travel size will be available March 14th if you want to take it on a trip.

Do you like your smile? Do you wish you had whiter teeth?

Looking for more healthy family inspiration? Check out my Home & Life – Family Tips Pinterest Board: